Colon and rectal surgeons with University of Minnesota Health offer an innovative therapy for bowel leakage (incontinence) in patients who have failed or could not tolerate more conservative treatments.This treatment is delivered via the InterStim system, which is a small implantable device that sends electrical pulses to an area near the sacral nerve to modulate the neural activity that influences the behavior of the pelvic floor, urinary and anal sphincters, and colon.
A distinct advantage of sacral neuromodulation is that it is tested for potential success before moving on to long-term therapy. The evaluation gives patients and physicians an opportunity to find out in as few as three to seven days whether adequate symptom reduction is achieved.
